Contracting band for knickerbockers.



D. GAMBLE. CONTRACTING BAND FOR KNICKERBOCKBRS.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 2, 1913.

Patented Oct. 21, 1913.

7 INVENTOR M BY 7/ %rs.

HQUNI'T D STAT PATENT orrrcn.

' nonorHY GAMBLE, or NEW roan, n. Y.

CONTRACTING BAND FOR KIFICKERBOCKERS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct.-

Application filed January 2, 1918. Serial No. 739,627.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DOROTHY GAMBLE, a citizen of the United States, and resident of the city, county, and State of New York, whose residence and post-office address is No. 601 West One Hundred and Thirty-second street, borough of Manhattan, city of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Contracting Bands for Knickerbockers; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will onable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

It is customary to insert, in the hem at the lower end of eachleg of childrens knickerbockers, a contracting band of elastic fabric, having 'its two ends sewn together. The elastic threads of the band, particularly in rompers or wash suits, soon break, and the band stretches, permitting the trouser leg to slip down into an unsightly and annoying position, and making necessary a renewal of the band. Furthermore, it often happens that the retaining bands are too tight, and consequently quite uncomfortable, so that they have to be removed and bands of greater length substituted therefor.

The object of the present invention is to provide such a retaining band which may be easily inserted and removed, and of Which the length may readily be adjusted, when it is first inserted, or from time to time, as it stretches, to accommodate it. to the size of the childs leg. It is convenient to remove such a band from the leg of the knickerbockers before washing them, and replace it afterward, thus avoiding the destruction of the band which washing brings about. To this end, the band of elastic material is provided at one end with a. short bodkin of such character that it is at once suitable for the purpose of threading the band through the hem of the trousers, and also for the purpose of clasping the other end of the band. This simple arrangement of an elastic band with a combined bodkin and clasp on one end affords a retaining band which may be readily removed from and replaced in the hem of the leg of the knickerbockers, and which may be adjusted to the desired length with the greatest ease and withdut any sewing, .ierely by folding the material at the end of the band and inserting it in the clasp at the desired point of adjustment. It is quite easy to thus effect adjustment of the length of the band while the knickerbockers are on the child, and the annoyance incidentto the stretching of such bands and the consequent falling down of the end of the leg of the knickerbockers is done away with. The band may be secured to the bodkin by passing its end through a single slot in the bodkin and sewing the band in place, but I prefor to use a plurality of transverse slots in the bodkin through which the end of the band may be run back and forth to secure it without sewing. Such transverse slots are in common use for such purposes.

Figure l of the drawings illustrates the legs of a pair of knickerbockers with my improved contracting band in the hems; and Figs. 2 and 3 show the preferred form of the band and combined bodkin and clasp.

In Fig. 1, the hem 1 of the knickerbockers is slit at 2 to permit the insertion and removal of the band 3 of elastic material. In the form shown in Figs. 2 and 3, there is secured to one end a combined bodkin and clasp 4, the bodkin being quite short so as to conform to the circular arrangement of the band in the hem, and provided with transverse slots 5', as is usual, through which the end of the band is passed back and forth. There is also provided a longitudinal slot 6, narrowing to a point, and adapted to receive and clasp the other end of the elastic band, as illustrated in Fig. 3. With this construction the band may be inserted in the hem. and then, after the knickerbockers are on the child, may be drawn up and secured at the proper tension. Thereupon, by manipulation of the hem, the clasp may be concealed in the hem by drawing it through the slit 2. If the band stretches and the leg of the knickerbockers fails itis only necessary to draw up the elastic band and clasp it at the new point of adjustment; an operation which may he performed in an instant and in any place without needle and thread or any other instrument.

What I claim is:

A hemrontracting band for knickerboclrer legs, comprising a narrow strip of elastic material having attached 'to one of its I In testimony whereof I aflix my signature find?1 ahshorthbodlilin adapted to thread the in presence of two witnesses.

an t rou the em, said bodkin havin a I r lcngitudinfi slot narrowing to a point to i-e- DORO 6 ceive and retain the material of the other I Witnesses:

end of the band after it has been inserted; VINCENT SAVARE-SE, substantially as described. 1 .\L A. BIT-T- 

